


Countdown

by RuReadytoSing



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Developing Relationship, Friendship, Lots of dialogue, M/M, Soulmate AU, Supernatural Elements, They don't drink though, Yuri swears a lot, alcohol mention, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-16
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-08 18:06:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8855647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RuReadytoSing/pseuds/RuReadytoSing
Summary: “Why not?” Yuuri peered into the younger boy’s face with a genuinely worried expression.“I... I don’t think I could take it,” he whispered. And he didn’t know what crazy demon overtook his body, but he lifted his left wrist for Yuuri to see, showing him the six numbers that still occasionally haunted him in his sleep.





	1. Countdown

**Author's Note:**

> This story is set in a Soulmate AU where once you touch your soulmate, the timer on your wrist starts counting down the number of heartbeats your soulmate has left.  
> Trigger Warning: I didn't want to tag too many things, because it'd give the ending away, but please be warned that there may be some potential triggers. If you are worried, please see the end notes, because I will list specific triggers there.  
> For reference, an average person's heart beats about 3,363,840,000 per lifetime (about 115,200 times per day).  
> Also for reference, the story starts during the Rostelecom cup.

“So, I have to deal with you two for another 50 years? Damn,” Yuri muttered while glancing over Yuuri’s shoulder.

_2,200,596,342. 2,200,596,341. 2,200,596,340..._

The dark-haired man jumped, fumbling with his laces. “Yurio! You’re not supposed to-”

“Look at your countdown? Victor’s not even here.”

“But we promised each other we wouldn’t-”

“Who believes in soulmates nowadays? It’s just some fake shit the media’s spouting to gain more viewers,” the Russian skater huffed, kicking the bench next to his other competitor.

“Then why do we have countdowns on our wrists?” Yuuri asked, his face taking on a serious look. He glanced down at his own wrist, watching as it continued to count down.

_2,200,596,268. 2,200,596,267. 2,200,596,266..._

_Shit, I forgot he gets super serious when we start talking about existential stuff._ Yuri searched for a way out of answering, but finding none, sighed and reluctantly took a seat next to the other.

“I never want to find my soulmate,” Yuri admitted, unconsciously rubbing at his left wrist. He wanted to scratch the numbers off, or better yet, get a tattoo to cover the damn thing.

“Why not?” Yuuri peered into the younger boy’s face with a genuinely worried expression.

“I... I don’t think I could take it,” he whispered. And he didn’t know what crazy demon overtook his body, but he lifted his left wrist for Yuuri to see, showing him the six numbers that still occasionally haunted him in his sleep.

Yuuri’s eyes widened a bit before his expression settled into a determined frown. “I understand how you feel, but-”

“How could you understand?!” Yuri scoffed, retracting his wrist like he’d gotten it too close to liquid nitrogen. “You already met your soulmate!”

“I don’t know what’s on Victor’s wrist,” Yuuri whispered, his eyes seizing the younger's. “But I trust him.” Yuuri’s eyes never left his as a small smile bloomed on his face. Yuuri’s smile was contagious; Yuri had to fight to keep the corners of his lips from tugging upwards.

The Russian boy scowled, jumping out of his seat. “You guys are so gross.” He covered his left wrist with his hand, his skates thudding along the hard flooring as he made his way to the skating rink.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“The hell-?!” Yuri stood up, kicking his leg out on instinct. He ignored the pain in his toe as he ran toward the bathroom, turning the light on with the flick of a finger.

_230,290. 230,289. 230,288..._

_No, no, no. This can’t be happening._ Yuri rubbed at his wrist, willing the numbers to disappear. _Stop. Stop, stop, stop!_  He rubbed both eyes before looking down at his left wrist again.

_Fuck._ He banged his head against the hotel desk, instantly regretting his decision as his headache reemerged.

_Ugggh, I finally got rid of my headache thanks to Otabek-_

_Otabek._ A light blush bloomed on his cheeks as he remembered how he’d made his first friend. He’d always been distant from people, especially after gaining full understanding of what the numbers on his wrist meant, but Otabek had been different.

_I can trust him._ He’d never felt so relaxed around anyone other than his grandpa and he honestly felt like he’d known Otabek for years.

_Well, he did say we met five years ago, but I don’t remember..._ A bout of guilt hit him in the gut, but he quickly recovered. He slowly made his way back to bed, glancing down at his wrist again.

_230,177. 230,176. 230,175..._

The numbers were blurry in the dark, but he knew they were moving.

_Who?_ He pushed the thought down and laid back on the bed, pulling the covers over his head.

_I’ll think about it after the Grand Prix Final._ He promised himself, but he knew it’d be too late by then.

_230,138. 230,137. 230,136..._

_Only two days left..._

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

He’d decided early on that thinking about his soulmate wouldn’t do him any good, _it’s not like he believed in fate in the first place_ , and his focus somehow landed him in first place after the short programs.

_I even got to cheer Otabek on_. He reminisced happily. He looked to his side to see Otabek tying his skates.

“Good luck today, too,” Yuri whispered, not expecting his friend to hear.

“Good luck,” Otabek replied, giving him a soft smile.

_Shit, that’s not good for my heart._ Yuri held back from clutching his chest, forcing a smile in reply.

Otabek hid a laugh behind his hand, turning away from the Russian skater.

“Hey! You better not be laughing!” Yuri yelled, running after the Kazakhstan skater.

Otabek slowed his pace, making sure Yuri wouldn’t trip over his skates. The Russian skater huffed, pouting at the ground.

“Did you get enough sleep?” Otabek asked, making the other look up at him.

“Yeah. Did you?” Yuri cocked his head to the side.

“Yeah. I dreamt about you.”

_Shit, shit, shit-_

“You were standing next to me with a silver medal in hand.”

_What the-_

“And who won gold?” Yuri narrowed his eyes.

“Me.” Otabek smirked before turning to face the ice rink again. But he didn’t miss the challenging glare Yuri sent his way.

“Oh, you are _so_ on.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

He really wanted to down a beer. Or maybe two.

_Screw being underaged! It’s not like anyone cares!_ He glanced around the room before reaching for an abandoned beer bottle.

“I won’t drink if you don't drink,” Otabek’s voice drifted from behind him. He turned to see the other man taking small sips from a cup of apple cider. “You want some?”

Yuri took the offered cup, hesitating for a second before downing the whole thing in one go. Otabek’s eyebrows rose, but he didn’t comment.

“Then if I drink, will you drink with me?” Yuri muttered, reaching for the bottle again.

“I can’t drink, so you can’t drink either,” Otabek restated, pushing the bottle away from Yuri’s reach.

“But you _can_ drink,” Yuri argued, taking a step closer.

“I’m allergic,” Otabek sighed, grabbing the beer bottle. He brought it to his mouth, but Yuri quickly grabbed his arm, yanking the bottle away from him.

“Fine. I won’t drink if you don’t drink,” Yuri promised, copying Otabek’s words. He was gifted with another one of Otabek’s smiles and he seriously thought he was going to have a heart attack. He felt his own lips close and tug upwards to mirror the other’s smile.

_Why do I feel so comfortable around him? It’s almost like we’re-_

_Shit. Fucking shit. Hell no-_

“I- Uh. I need some fresh air.” Yuri stuttered, running away before Otabek could answer. He could feel his curious gaze following him, even as he turned the corner of the hallway.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“What the fuck was that?!” Yuri kicked the closest trash can, cursing at his throbbing foot. He knew for sure he’d popped a few blisters with that kick.

_But when did I touch Otabek?_ His mind was still reeling at the idea that Otabek was his soulmate. _Well, he_ is _super easy to talk to and understanding and would be a perfect-_

_Shiiiiiiit!!!_

He clenched and unclenched his right hand, remembering the feeling of Otabek’s hand in his. _Our handshake. I... His hand... Shit._

He really really wanted to down ten beers now. He took a peek at his wrist, scowling at the numbers.

_455\. 454. 453..._

He tore his gaze away, and his eyes caught a bench across the street from the hotel. He really didn’t want to go back to the banquet hall, _Yuuri and Victor had decided pole-dancing was their new thing after retiring and Otabek would no doubt ask questions about why he ran away so quickly,_ so he ran toward the corner of the intersection, tapping his foot impatiently while waiting for the walk signal to turn green.

“Come on, come on!” His foot tapping shifted into jumping, which further developed into full on skating moves. He’d just finished a triple axel when the light turned green and he stomped across to the other bench. He rubbed his wrist and unconsciously looked down before throwing his gaze back to the hotel.

_190\. 189..._

“Soulmates don’t exist. I don’t have a soulmate.” The words hurt, but it was better than the crushing anxiety that came with knowing your best friend, _your first real friend_ , only had a few more minutes to live.

_175\. 174..._

“He’s not my soulmate. He can’t be my soulmate.” A sliver of hope erupted in his chest as this new possibility came up. _No one can prove he’s my soulmate. I must have touched a random person on the street. Yeah. That’s it!_

_159\. 158..._

“Soulmates aren’t real. I can choose who I love.” More hope slithered in, smothering the last remaining doubts in his mind. He fiddled with his hair as he watched the countdown on his wrist with a strained smile.

_148\. 147..._

“Yuri!”

His head shot up at the sound of his name. _No. No, no, no-_

“Yuri!” The voice was closer now.

He felt something land around his shoulders and looked up to see a jacket-less Otabek with his arms crossed.

“You’re gonna catch a cold,” Otabek scolded, gently laying a hand on Yuri’s shoulder.

“I’ll be fine.” Yuri shook off the other’s hand, his eyes still glued on his left wrist.

_101\. 100. 99..._

“Are you sure?” Otabek whispered, gazing into the other’s face. Yuri avoided his gaze and stood up, walking toward the intersection.

_88\. 87. 86..._

“Do you have a fever? Are you feeling alright?” Otabek followed close behind.

_65\. 64. 63... His heart’s beating faster...?_

“I’m fine. I _said_ I just needed some air. Victor and that pig’s dancing was way too much. I never want to see that again,” Yuri scoffed, hiding his anxiety behind anger.

_49\. 48. 47..._

“I gotta agree on that one,” Otabek smiled, pressing the walk button. He looked like he was deep in thought, but his eyes kept flickering back-and-forth between the cross-light and his shirt sleeve.

“Are you okay? I mean-” Yuri cut himself off, not knowing how to continue. _How do you console a friend who couldn’t get first place?_ It wasn’t like fourth place was bad, considering the competition they were up against, and he really shouldn’t be talking when he himself didn’t win, but-

“Holy shi-!!!” A fellow pedestrian’s scream made them lift their heads. A deafening screech echoed along the road as a truck flew towards them.

_21..._

An arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him against a toned chest.

_16\. 15..._

He could hear the other’s erratic heartbeat against his back.

_10..._

His eyes caught the number on the other’s left wrist before widening in shock.

_7..._

He was being pulled backwards, but they both knew it was too late.

_4..._

Strong arms engulfed his body as if to shield him from harm.

_1-_

Two skaters soared through the air and skidded side-by-side along the pavement, their identical left wrists hidden underneath their bodies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: (implied) car accident  
> I'm so sorry, but this Soulmate AU has been screaming at me to be written, so of course I had to choose the purest ship to write about. (Personally, I ship OtaYuri as a friendship that slowly develops into a romantic relationship.) I wasn't going to post this, but episode 11 killed me (and inspired me to finish and upload this chapter).  
> Edit: The next chapter is up!


	2. Forever

“Beka! Beka!” He was abruptly awakened by a pair of shaking hands, and he immediately sat up, ignoring his brutal headache.

“Yura...” A soft sigh of relief left his lips before the air was knocked out of him.

“You- How could you- Why did you-?!!!” Yuri squeezed Otabek tighter, trying to reassure himself that yes, he was alive, _they were alive._

Otabek reciprocated the embrace, albeit still in shock. _He’s alive. We’re alive._

_But how?_

Otabek pulled back, holding Yuri at arms’ length. His eyes bore into the other’s mirroring his question.

“Oh my, I must have come early again.”

Yuri’s hair swished as he faced his potential opponent. Otabek had already stood up, standing protectively between Yuri and the mysterious person hidden underneath the black robe.

“I know you’re afraid, but I promise I won’t hurt you.” The person raised his hands, unperturbed by the two boys’ glares. “You skaters really are a fearsome bunch,” he chuckled, pulling back his hood. Yuri jumped up onto his feet, but allowed Otabek to continue shielding him.

“You-!!!” Yuri’s index finger shot out accusingly. “You’re Christophe’s-!!!”

“I’m glad you remember me,” he smiled, pulling off his robe. The thin black veil disappeared like a fading rainbow, revealing a man dressed in a suit. He seemed to be carrying a rather heavy suitcase.

“Why are you here?” Otabek asked, his voice taking on a hard edge. His eyes flickered around the room, finally taking time to survey the area. _We’re surrounded by ice... a never-ending ice rink?_ He wondered if Yuri was seeing the same thing, but didn’t shift his gaze away from the man in front of him.

“I’m your savior-”

A soft scoff made Otabek’s lips quirk upwards.

“And at the same time, your reaper.”

“Reaper?” Yuri’s eyes narrowed further as he took a careful step forward. Otabek shifted slightly, making sure he kept both people in sight.

“You’ll understand more when the time comes. But for now, your goal is to find the entrance to the Soul Abyss.”

“Soul abyss?” Yuri scowled, crossing his arms.

“Yes. You must have already realized you’re not on Earth,” he chuckled again at their matching glares, “but I can’t tell you where you are.”

“You just said we’re in the soul abyss, wherever that is.” Yuri threw his arms out in front of him.

“That’s just what I call it. No one really knows what this place is, or who runs this place.”

“Then how did we get here?” Otabek’s eyebrows furrowed menacingly.

“Long story short, I don’t want to work here anymore, so I’ve been sabotaging all my jobs. Whenever I mess up, I’m supposed to bring the severed souls here.”

“Does Christophe know you’re here?”

“He does. He thinks I’m an angel or something, although the actual job is more like a Grim Reaper.”

“What exactly are you to Christophe?”

“Oh yes, the million dollar question. Christophe and I aren’t really ones for labels, but if you really want to know you’d best ask Chris. I don’t think he’ll give you a straight answer though.” The man winked before sliding his right hand over his left shoulder. The black robe reappeared, covering his whole body. “I’ll see you back on Earth,” he whispered, disappearing with a fizz.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“This is the weirdest shit I’ve ever been through,” Yuri muttered once he’d recovered from the brown-haired man’s disappearance.

“At least we’re technically still alive,” Otabek answered, looking down at his left wrist. He froze for a second, his mind unwilling to accept what he was seeing.

“Beka, you ok-” Yuri followed the other’s gaze and his body also froze.

 _1._ Their countdown had stopped. _But how?_

“He must have severed our souls from our bodies too early,” Otabek muttered, cautiously walking across the ice.

“What the hell does that mean?” Yuri followed him, gliding across the ground as if he were skating.

“He did say he came too early,” Otabek stated seriously.

“Please _never_ say that ever again,” Yuri hid his blush behind his hair.

“Say what?” Otabek looked innocently confused.

“You- You don’t know what that implies?” _Even I know what that means!_

“Imply wha-” Otabek’s blush bloomed from the bottom of his neck to the top of his forehead. “I- I promise I’ll never say that again,” he whispered after he’d recovered enough.

Yuri nodded in reply, continuing to glide across the ground.

“Yura, how are you doing that?”

“Doing what?”

“Gliding across the ground like that. It’s almost like you’re skating.”

“But I am skating.” As if to show off, Yuri performed a perfect triple axel before skating back to the bewildered Otabek.

“You’ve had skates on this whole time?”

“Yeah?”

“How?”

“I don’t know how the hell this world works, but maybe if you imagine yourself with skates on they might just pop up or something?” Yuri swirled around Otabek, grinning cheekily.

Otabek closed his eyes, concentrating on his feet.

_Holy shit I was just joking! I didn’t think he’d really do it!_

The Kazakhstan skater could feel the tightness of leather around his feet as one-by-one, the laces were threaded through. He felt himself grow taller, revelling in the feeling that he could reach even higher with the aid of his jumps. ‘Kshhh.’ The familiar sound of blades against ice made him relax even further into his usual skating stance.

“Woah, it worked!” Yuri’s exclamation made him open his eyes. He looked down to see his favorite pair of skates on his feet. He looked across at Yuri and realized he could now see his skates too.

“This place is scary,” Otabek whispered, but he looked noticeably happier as he glided around on his skates.

“This place isn’t as bad as I thought,” Yuri answered, following behind his soulmate. “I wouldn’t mind staying here.” The ‘with you’ was left unspoken, but both boys blushed, skating a tiny bit closer to each other.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Hey, isn’t that the entrance over there?” Yuri pointed at a gate-like area surrounded by green grass.

“I’ve been meaning to ask, but what exactly do you see?” Otabek followed the other toward the supposed entrance.

“I’m surrounded by an ice rink, but there’s a gate over there. Why?”

“Oh. I was worried we might be seeing different things, since I couldn’t see your skates earlier.”

“That’s probably because you have no imagination.” Yuri smirked, twirling around in a circle.

“I can choreograph a better short program than you,” Otabek challenged, returning his smirk.

“Oh yeah? We’ll see about that!” Yuri yelled, taking off full speed toward their goal. Otabek hesitated, before stopping altogether. A fond smile bloomed on his face as he watched Yuri perform his impromptu skating program.

‘Swish.’ He landed his quadruple salchow and glided gracefully across the ice, circling around Otabek before kneeling into a sit spin. He reached his arm higher and higher, his speed increasing until he hit his peak, finally flaring out to slow himself down. He slowed his glide down a bit, revelling in the feeling of freedom. _I could skate here like this. Forever._ His arms were thrown out to the side, cutting through the icy air.

He quickly shook his head before his thoughts could stray any further. _Not now. I have a friend to prove._ His lips quirked up into a hidden grin as he knew exactly what he should finish his program with.

Otabek’s eyes widened as the Russian skater started spinning again, but this time his foot was lifted higher and higher, until it was being held over his head.

 _I’ve always wanted to see his Biellmann spin in person._ Otabek blushed at the thought, remembering how he’d only ever regretted quitting ballet when he secretly watched one of Yuri’s performances. _He’s so graceful too._

“How’s that?” Yuri smirked, trying to regain his breath. His soft pants left behind small clouds in the chilly air.

Otabek smiled, taking his place on the ice. His eyebrows furrowed as he concentrated all his focus on what was to come. He could feel Yuri’s eyes following his hands as he stretched them up, continuing to follow them as he flew across the ice. His first jump, a quadruple toe loop, was a bit sloppy, but he made up for it with a flawless triple toe loop. He caught the other’s eye on his spread eagle and he didn’t miss the tiny sparkle of admiration as he swooped around the younger skater. He felt fireworks lighting through his body as he jumped, each combination soaring higher than the previous. Yuri’s gaze added fuel to the fire, spurring him on to do what he does best, battle it out on the ice rink.

He felt his fire fizzle out on his last jump, _fires that burn higher tend to go out faster,_ but he felt satisfied with his improvised skating performance.

“Not bad,” Yuri clapped, gifting him a soft smile.

“You too,” Otabek panted, putting his arms over his head. In five slow breaths, he’d already regained his breath and was heading toward the gate.

“Cheater,” Yuri accused, skating ahead of him.

“So it’s a race now?”

“You’re on!” Yuri sped away, closely followed by a chuckling Otabek.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Yuri rolled his eyes, glaring at the sign in front of him.

“Find your happy place,” Otabek read aloud, his eyes squinting at the ridiculous sign in front of him.

“What the hell does that mean?!” Yuri scoffed, crossing his arms. “I don’t _have_ a happy place.”

“I don’t either,” Otabek admitted quietly. He’d hid his hands behind his back, fiddling with his fingers nervously.

“Then I guess we’re stuck here forever.” He’d meant to say it with a sadder tone, but the more he thought about it, the more he didn’t care if he got out or not.

Otabek didn’t answer, continuing to clasp and unclasp his hands behind his back.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“I really wouldn’t mind staying here forever,” Yuri stated, side-eyeing Otabek to gauge his reaction. The Kazakhstan skater still had on his usual poker face, but was surrounded by a nervous aura.

“If you have something to say, then say it,” Yuri muttered, not liking how Otabek was stalling. Their friendship had started with them being honest with each other, and he didn’t like how Otabek was hesitating now of all times.

“Yura. I know I’ve only been friends with you for three days, but you’re my only friend and I... I don’t want to hold you back.”

“Hold me back? When have you ever held me back?” Yuri looked genuinely confused.

“It would be like a dream to stay here with you forever, skate with you here forever, and not have to worry about anything. But you still have so much to accomplish back on Earth. You have a gold medal to win, gold _medals_ to win and I can’t-”

“But we can do that here. We can do anything here and if you’re here with me-”

“Where did your eyes of a soldier go?”

“What?” Yuri gave him a disbelieving frown. _What the hell is he saying now?_

“Where did the determined soldier go? Where did the persevering, stubborn, emerging Russian Legend go? Did he accidentally leave himself back on Earth? Did-”

“I don’t care anymore, okay?! And _you_ of all people should understand!” Yuri immediately regretted his retaliation, cringing at Otabek’s failed attempt to hide his wounded expression.

 _Shit, this is why I can’t make friends._ Yuri sighed, skating as far away as he could without letting Otabek out of his sight.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“I’m not mad.”

“What?”

“I’m not mad,” Otabek repeated, gliding closer to the shorter skater. Yuri let out a soft huff, before meeting the other boy halfway. Their shoulders brushed against each other as they continued to skate aimlessly along the ice rink, making two beautiful roses bloom on the ice.

“People always run away when I yell at them,” Yuri confessed, covering his face with his hands.

“People run away before I can talk to them,” Otabek admitted, laying a gentle hand on Yuri’s arm. “And I know you were just being honest. That’s what I like best about you.”

 _Hoooooly shit. Abort. AboRT. ABORT._ Yuri’s mind shut down as Otabek’s words rolled around his head. _This is too much. Too much. But wait..._

“Then why didn't you say anything?”

“About what?”

“You didn’t say anything after I yelled at you!” Yuri pointed an accusing finger at him.

“Oh that. Your eyes...” Otabek trailed off, smiling reminiscently.

“My eyes?”

“They’re the eyes of a soldier. You got your spirit back.”

“You little-”

“I’m taller than you.” Otabek’s smile morphed into a shit-eating grin.

Yuri scowled, pulling away from the other skater.

An awkward silence was about to begin, but Otabek saved them, whispering softly, “You know, you don’t have to battle by yourself.”

“But who’ll-” Yuri cut himself off and finally raised his eyes to meet unyielding chocolate orbs. Otabek’s eyes sparkled with unspoken sorrows and unwavering determination. _He has the eyes of a soldier too. He always has._ Yuri let a small smile bloom on his face and all remaining uncertainties faded from his mind. “So we have to find our happy places?”

“Yeah.” An unreadable expression overtook Otabek’s face, but Yuri wasn’t too worried. He could feel the determination flowing from the usually emotionless skater.

“What if... What if we’re supposed to _think_ about our happy place?” Yuri hadn’t meant to voice his thoughts aloud, but after saying it, his idea honestly didn’t sound too far off.

“That does sound plausible.” _Especially in this strange alternate universe._

“I can’t believe it; it’s just like a shitty shoujo manga!” Yuri huffed, kicking his skate into the ice. A large chunk of ice flew into Otabek’s chest, and Yuri couldn’t help but laugh.

“You’ve read manga before?” Otabek wiped the melting ice off his chest, flicking the water at the unsuspecting skater.

“I- Yuuko forced me to read them! It’s not like I wanted to!” Yuri yelled, raising his arms in defense.

“Thought so,” Otabek let a smirk sprout across his face. Yuri let his gaze fall to the ground, covering his blush with his hair.

“So, do we have to link arms or something?” Yuri took a step forward, hesitantly linking arms with his soulmate.

“This feels like some weird soulmate ritual,” Otabek muttered, shifting awkwardly.

“If this doesn’t work, I’m gonna kill that bastard, no matter how close he is to Christophe!” Yuri shouted, most likely trying to be heard by the brown-haired man himself.

“I second that,” Otabek chuckled.

“Do we have to close our eyes?” Yuri asked, but his eyes were already closed. He felt Otabek’s elbow tighten around his and took that as his cue to concentrate.

_Soft music started playing in the background. The smell of pirozhki and the distinct air of the ice rink drifted toward him. The swish of skates against the ice, he felt weightless as he successfully landed his quadruple salchow. His grandpa’s voice called out to him, congratulating him for winning the medal. Otabek’s voice drifted in, wrapping him in a soft blanket of warmth._

_The rev of an engine was replaced by the sound of ice being shaved from the ground, accumulating along the blades of his skates. Tight leather disappeared, smooth athletic gear taking its place. His fingerless gloves remained, leaving with it a feeling of familiarity. “Davai!” He could recognize that voice from anywhere. His right foot pressed down before being lifted into the air by his sheer determination to accomplish the impossible quadruple axel. He felt a sense of weightlessness overtake him as he landed effortlessly._

They opened their eyes and couldn’t hide the disappointment on their faces as they were greeted by the same brown-haired man as before, still surrounded by an endless stretch of ice.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Ah, I spoke too soon.”

“You shitty little-”

“I’m _much_ bigger than you, in more ways than-”

“You should really stop hanging out with Christophe,” Yuri muttered, shuffling awkwardly. Otabek had already slid in between the two, making sure the man floating in front of them didn’t come any closer.

“It was rather entertaining watching you two bicker.”

“We weren’t bickering!”

“Then what would you call your banter?”

“We were having a serious conversation about our future.”

“Futures don’t exist in this timeless world. It’s true; you could stay here forever without aging. Many people have decided Earth isn’t the place for them and chose to stay here instead,” the taller man whispered, taking on a somber look.

“But that doesn’t count as living. We want to _live_. And I still need to kick his butt and win that gold medal!” Yuri shouted, aiming his smirk at Otabek. His soulmate smiled back before returning his attention to the mysterious man in front of them.

“Would you still say the same thing if I said that a happy place doesn’t exist?” Their ‘savior’ asked, giving them a sad smile.

“What do you mean it doesn’t exist?!” Yuri’s voice betrayed his anger. “Like hell it doesn’t!”

“So our efforts were doomed to fail from the start?” Otabek whispered unbelievingly.

“Yes. Happiness is subjective and fleeting, so there will never be a happy place. Ever.”

A harsh breeze blew in from the left, revealing Yuri’s hidden right eye. It twitched in perfect rhythm with his frustrated kicks at the ice.

“I don’t care,” Otabek’s angry voice cut through the air, making both men turn towards him. “I don’t care if happiness is subjective or disappears in a second. What matters is the here and now. We want to live. We have goals we want to achieve. We _need_ to prove ourselves.” Otabek skated toward the man before digging his skates in the ice.

“Yeah! We want to live. We deserve to live!” Yuri chanted, sliding in next to his soulmate.

Hazel eyes bore into their own as the ‘reaper’ searched for hesitation. Finding none, he sighed, slowly drifting back to the ground. “You passed the test.”

“What test?”

“You proved your will to live. I’m not going to send people back if they don’t want to.”

“So we can go back to Earth?” Otabek asked the only question that mattered.

“Yes. But be warned, you’ve been gone for over three-”

They were swallowed by darkness, the edges of their visions lighted by the inconsistent flicker of fireworks.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Otabek! Yurio!”

His head was pounding, but he somehow managed to sit up at the call of his name.

“They’re awake!”

Several voices were chattering excitedly as Otabek peeled his eyes open. He was greeted by his coach who hesitated before laying an encouraging hand on his shoulder.

“It’s a miracle!” Victor’s voice drifted over from Yuri’s bed.

“Get off me!!!” Otabek guessed Yuri was being hugged. “Hey Beka! You there?”

“Yeah. You okay over there?” Otabek teased.

“I will be if these leeches learn what personal space is!”

Otabek smiled before giving his coach a reassuring nod. 

“Oh Yurio, you missed so much while you were asleep! Our wedding is planned for next Sunday, and you’re invited as one of the groomsmen!”

“What?”

“I _said,_ Yuuri and I are getting married next Sunday! And you’re-”

“Like hell I’m gonna go to your wedding!” 

“Awww, are you jealous we’re getting married already? I heard from Yuuri that you never want to meet your soulmate-”

“Victor! I told you not to-!”

“I’ll only go if Beka is invited, too,” Yuri compromised, sneaking a glance at his soulmate. Otabek’s eyes widened in surprise, but he didn’t comment.

“Of course he’s invited! I wouldn’t want your new friend to miss out on the fun!” Victor finally let go of Yuri, twirling excitedly.

“Excuse me everyone, but visiting hours are almost over,” a nurse spoke from the doorway. Yuri and Otabek both thanked her with their eyes and she nodded in reply.

“Yuratchka, get a good night’s sleep, because we’ll start training right away in order to make up for the time you lost.” Yakov slid in from behind Victor.

“Yes, you have many more things to learn,” Lilia added. Yuri grimaced, but nodded politely.

“You too, Beka.” His coach patted his shoulder, reluctantly retracting his hand.

Otabek gave him a curt nod.

“Remember, our wedding is next Sunday so make sure to get your suits ready by-”

“Get out!”

“Mr. Plisetsky, I will need you to calm down in order to take your blood pressure.”

Soft snickering could be heard from the bed across from him.

“Stop laughing!”

Otabek continued laughing, and the nurse joined in a few seconds later, filling the room with a comfortable atmosphere.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Beka.”

He’d just been about to fall asleep, but he opened his eyes, nodding at the excited skater to continue.

“We should get matching tattoos.”

Otabek quirked his eyebrow.

“We kinda already have matching tattoos, but wouldn’t it be cool if we added number signs in front of them?” Yuri’s eyes shimmered with excitement as he gazed longingly at his left wrist.

“But we can’t both be number one,” Otabek argued.

“Aren’t soulmates two halves of one whole?”

“Did you get that from a manga too?” Otabek teased.

“No, I researched stuff when I first started understanding how this soulmate shit works,” Yuri admitted quietly.

“I looked things up, too, but I never read anything about that,” Otabek furrowed his eyebrows.

“Then-” Yuri cut off. _Shit, there’s no way I could say ‘We’re always gonna be number one to each other, right?’ He’s gonna think-_ He caught the other’s eyes, blushing when he realized he’d been muttering aloud to himself.

“You already are number one in my heart.”

Yuri’s heart exploded, his face combusting along with it. “I- you- Beka, we should sneak out!” he yelled, desperately trying to hide his embarrassment.

It took a few seconds for Otabek's mind to catch up, but once he'd recovered from his shock, he answered, “I don’t think that’s a good-”

“Come on! Have you never broken the rules before?” Yuri hopped out of bed, pulling the covers along with him. They fell with a soft thud onto the sterile hospital floor.

“No.”

Yuri gave him a disbelieving look.

“Maybe, but that’s only when I ditched class sometimes to skate for a bit.”

“Just think of it like that!”

Otabek couldn’t win against Yuri’s unyielding cat eyes. “Fine. But if we get caught, this was your idea.”

“Okay, so I know this really nice outdoor skating rink that’s open ‘til late at night, so we can go there!” Yuri completely avoided the blame, pulling Otabek off the bed and out of the hospital room.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Are you sure it’s open?”

“Yeah! It better be.” The last part was whispered under his breath, but Otabek heard the determination in his voice. The older boy smiled, letting himself be pulled by the excited skater.

“Does it cost money?”

“I think it’s a free skating rink that’s open to the public,” Yuri muttered, taking large strides toward the gate.

“Do they have skates here?”

“Shit.” Yuri held back from smacking himself on the forehead. _How the hell did he forget about the most important thing?!_

“It’s alright, we don’t have to-” Otabek’s eyes widened as they caught two familiar pairs of skates leaning against the gate. “Are those...?”

Yuri followed his gaze, his eyes widening before crinkling with his grin. _This day can’t get any stranger!_ He ran over to the skates, turning them over to prove that yes, they were indeed their skates.

“I feel like we’re still stuck in that soul abyss place.”

“But we’re not,” Yuri whispered, swiftly lacing up his skates. “I win,” he smirked, opening the gate and gliding to the other side of the rink.

Otabek quickly laced up his skates, sliding onto the rink a few moments later.

“Are you ready?”

“For what?”

Yuri answered with his actions, reaching out with his left hand before taking off across the ice. Otabek slid in next to him, perfectly flowing along with his movements.

They stayed untouching; there was no need when their souls were already connected. They were the only ones gliding across the ice, surrounded by the chilly air and the overwhelming feeling that only came when one was _alive_.

“Hey, have you ever watched pair skating?”

“Yes.”

Yuri’s smile almost made him trip over his skates.

“Have you ever wanted to try it?”

“Yeah.” Otabek smiled back.

Two skaters soared through the air before landing side-by-side along the ice, their identical left wrists displayed for all the universe to see.

 

Extra:

The most popular News Headline of that day: “The hero of Kazakhstan kidnaps the fairy of Russia again! The scavenger hunt has begun!”

The most retweeted/shared photo: “Found them!” [insert Phichit’s selfie with Yuri and Otabek skating in the background] #otayuri #friendgoals #sogladthey’realive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woah, I didn’t think I’d get this much feedback from everyone. (Thank you all so much!!!) I understand many people were shaken by the first chapter, but I wrote the end of that chapter after watching Episode 11 and reading all the meta about Yuuri’s words in the Episode 12 preview, so I wanted to recreate that type of tone. My hope is that Episode 12 will end exactly like this second chapter; everyone will find their happy endings (and Season 2 will delve into their happy lives).

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Yuri!!! on Ice or any of the characters. Also, I used Google to look up the statistics, so if anyone is curious, please don't hesitate to look it up! Thank you so much for reading!!! ^o^


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